Education is a crucial part of quality health care. The sharing of knowledge between our staff and our clients enables women and their families to assume shared responsibility for and make informed choices about their care. This resource section contains information on pregnancy, natural birth and parenting. We hope you will find the accompanying pages helpful.

Note: The appearance of a link or resource on our website does not denote endorsement or agreement by The Gathering Place. These are recommended links to use as resources. The Gathering Place does not endorse or promote the use or purchase of any items, subscriptions, products or services on these websites.

natural birth/parenting

Mothering is the only independently owned, family living magazine in the world. The magazine addresses contemporary health, personal, environmental, medical, and lifestyle issues in an upbeat, intelligent, compassionate, and courageous way.

For almost two decades Waterbirth International has provided education, training, programs, consultations, and referrals for parents and practitioners to insure that waterbirth becomes an available option for all women and to change the way we welcome babies into the world.

La Leche League International strives to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

The Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth was launched to support initiatives that provide credible, relevant and useful information about normal birth to new and expectant parents and childbirth professionals.

Founded by healthcare professionals to provide information to expectant parents, healthcare professionals, educators, lawyers, ethicists, and concerned individuals about circumcision and genital cutting of male, female, and intersex infants and children.

The oldest and largest consumer organization advocating the institution of vaccine safety and informed consent protections in the mass vaccination system. As an independent clearinghouse for information on diseases and vaccines, NVIC does not promote the use of vaccines and does not advise against the use of vaccines. NVIC supports the availability of all preventive health care options, including vaccination, and the right of consumers to make educated, voluntary health care choices.

pregnancy/childbirth

Mothers Naturally is a public education project of the Midwives Alliance of North America whose goal is to increase the number of safe and positive births by educating and informing the public about natural birth options and empowering women to make pregnancy and birth choices appropriate for their lives.

childbirth education

The mission of Lamaze International is to promote, support and protect natural, safe, and healthy birth through education and advocacy through the dedicated efforts of professional childbirth educators, providers and parents.

The International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) as a professional organization supports educators and other health care providers who believe in freedom of choice based on knowledge of alternatives in family-centered maternity and newborn care.

A twelve week series of childbirth classes stressing the importance of 'healthy baby, healthy mother, and healthy families' which aims to attract those who are willing to take the responsibility needed for preparation and birth.

doulas

The oldest, largest, international non-profit organization of doulas that strives to have every doula trained / educated to provide the highest quality / standards for birth and/or postpartum support to birthing women and their families.

midwifery advocacy & support

A consumer-based grass-roots organization dedicated to promoting and protecting midwifery in Florida. Members are families, midwives, students, and birth advocates committed to organizing the community to support midwives and to assure the continued availability of midwifery care throughout Florida.

The Big Push for Midwives is a nationally coordinated campaign to advocate for regulation and licensure of certified professional midwives (CPM) in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, and to push back against the attempts of the American Medical Association's scope of practice partnership to deny American families access to legal midwifery care.

CIMS is a coalition of individuals and organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies, and families whose mission is to promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs.